Education program of RDI for the new millenium :


Introduction

The Garhwal region of the Himalayas is ruggedly beautiful and for the most part, rural and mountainous. Travel and communication present formidable challenges due to natural disasters such as earthquakes and landslides as well as extremes of weather. Some parts are inaccessible during monsoons. The region has now been carved into a new state with approximately 5 districts with a population of 10 million individuals spread across. The young men leave the village in search of jobs, either joining the army or migrating to the cities. The reason for the backwardness of the area is manifold and includes illiteracy, poverty, unemployment, and lack of a basic infrastructure for health and education.

According to the 2001 census, the national literacy rate in India is 65.38% (75.85% for males and 54.16% for females). This figure for the state of UP is only 42% ( for the 1991 census). The difference between the male & female ratio averages 37%.

The greatest drawback in education particularly in Garhwal is reaching children in the hilly terrain. Houses are scattered in the mountains, and it is difficult to find well equipped schools in the mountainous areas. If there is a school, there are usually no teachers. If there are teachers, the student-teacher ratio is very high and often, there do not exist enough teaching aids. The problems in education in the rural mountaineous areas are manifold. In spite of numerous centers of learning, education has still not become the right of all the citizens, whether they be children or adults.

To tackle this situation, RDI drew up a multi-dimensional program.

MISSION:
To develop integrated and cost effective approaches to literacy and development of the mountaineous area that can serve as a model for the country as a whole

VISION:
To enable overall development of children and adolescents by ensuring primary education, increasing technical capabilities and focusing on a holistic approach towards life.

GOALS:
  • To propagate a health and hygiene based education as well as the teaching of a holistic approach to life.
  • To teach adolescents self awareness and self management skills.
  • To focus on primary education.
  • To introduce functional literacy.
  • To introduce project based education for upper primary and high schools.
  • To start technical and vocational training.
  • To provide scholarships to students
  • To start a mobile library. (Details of each action plan has been enclosed in separate annexures)


    Immediate objectives of each goal

    Sl.no
    Program
    Immediate Objectives
    1.
    Non Formal Education (Primary Education)
    		 To ensure 100% literacy among the target group (may be age wise or area wise).
    To ensure 100% enrollments in the schools.
    To provide quality education.
    To assess the schools in increasing the teachers strength, teaching aids and upgrading the teacher's skill.
    To hold Non formal education classes for the children.
    2.
    Project Based Education
    		 To develop teaching aids within 2 years to supplement the education given in schools. Emphasis will be given to Science/Maths/English for children and adolescents.
    To have an experimental class for developing those kits which focus on English conversation and writing.
    3.
    Functional Literacy (FL)
    		 To develop modules for literacy related to different ongoing income generating and health programs of RDI.
    4.
    Adolescent self awareness and self management program
    		 To train 10 adolescents in self management skills as peer educators.
    To form 10 adolescent peer groups in different villages.
    To reach out to 100 adolescents through peer groups.
    To teach them life skills through self awareness, interpersonal skills, communication skills, problem solving, decision making, handling of emotions and stress management.
    To deal with larger social issues and problems like, population dynamics, sexual abuse, exploitation, alcoholism- drug abuse, women rights and legal issues etc.
    To make them clear about values like gender issues, sexual orientation and expression.
    To educate them in reproductive health and nutritional needs.
    To conduct a monthly meeting with peer groups.
    5.
    Technical and skill education (vocational training)
    		 To provide technical and skill education to young boys and girls. The selected areas for training are as follows:
    1. Tailoring and handicraft
    2. Bee keeping
    3. Computer classes
    4. Any other skill based educational activity
    5. Cards and envelop-making for children
    6.
    Mobile Library
    		 To establish 5 mobile libraries in different areas
    7.
    Scholarship program
    		 To provide scholarships to bright needy students for high school/graduation/coaching classes/competitions.



    PROGRAM DETAILS

    Program
    Time Duration
    Staff Reqd.
    Target group
    Strategy
    Output
    Outcome
    Target area
    NFE
    		 2 years 10 teachers for 10 centers 300 Non-school going children aged between 9-15 years Area and age specific employing creative and innovative educational methods Training manuals for teachers and supervisors, teaching kits for NFE classes i) 300 students will be getting NFE certificate

    ii)10 teachers would be trained    		 10 villages
    PBE
    		 2 years Two trainers Middle and primary school children To form a core team of teachers/consultants who will develop practical modules on important topics on various subjects.To teach the children through these modules 3 to 6 modules will be developed Project manuals developed. Trainer trained. 250 children educated through project based education 10 villages
    Functional Literacy
    		 2 years (X) 200 people To teach community groups through specific project and area based teaching aids Specific project related curriculum and teaching kits developed. 200 illiterate adults would be taught. 10 villages
    Adolescent self awareness and self management program
    		 2 years 1 trainer/counsellor Adolescents between the ages of 14-19 in rural areas Through adolescent peer educators and peer support learning groups Development of curriculum, training manuals for adolescent peer educators and training kit 10 adolescent peer educators to be trained.10 adolescent group would be formed.100 adolescent trained in self-manage-ment skills. 10 villages
    Mobile library
    		 2 years (X) Adolescent students and children Initially library to be done through at the existing NFE centers or health clinics.Later on one of the adolescents will take this responsibility 10 libraries established 1000 people benefited 10 villages
    Technical and skill based education
    		 2 years 4 trainers Teenage boys and girls Interested people selected.Field based training provided for all except in computers where they will be sponsored to take classes at the nearest center(where ever available) 80 boys and girls given technical and skill based education 5 villages
    Scholarship program
    		 2 years Selecting bright, needy students Bright needy students selected to pursue higher studies 5 students provided scholarships 5 villages

    (X) The same person will be carrying out all the programs

    Common Features

  • The NFE Instructor/teacher will also carry out the functional literacy and mobile libraries. He will also coordinate the trainings for project based education and program for adolescents.
  • The supervisors will oversee all activities of Project based education,NFE, functional literacy, technical training, mobile libraries and program for adolescents.

    Target Area:

  • 10 villages which are situated in the rugged mountains at an altitude of 1000 to 6000 ft above sea level.

    Other facts :

  • The initial step in the PBE would be to administer the modules developed by consultants. This will be carried out in the schools over a couple of days continuously or few days in a week.
  • For the mobile libraries, an initial kit will be developed. After every couple of months, some of these books will be rotated among the other villages.
  • The whole program is for 2 years in 10 villages. NFE will be carried out in all the villages in Year I and II. The rest of the programs will be carried out in 5 villages in Year I and in rest of the 5 villages in Year II.

    Follow-up:
    NFE ( Non Formal Education) : to check if all people have enrolled in regular school.*
    PBE ( Project Based Education): To replicate the model for subjects which the children have benefited by.
    Functional Literacy: To expand the scope and content of the program and also expand it for more people. *
    Program for adolescents: To call upon the adolescents once in three months.
    Technical and Vocational Training: To see how many people have started a new enterprise
    Mobile libraries: One person in the village continues this furthur.

    * Either the NFE instructor or the adolescent peer educator will be motivated to carry these programs on a long term basis with community pitching in for the cost of their salary.

    Budget for the Educational Program of RDI
    To view the budget for the educational program of RDI, please click here:
    http://www.geocities.com/rdi_web/New_Budget.html

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